An Arabic Version of the Abgar-Legend

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AN ARABIC VERSION OF THE ABGAR-LEGEND.

By Professor R. J. H. Gottheil, Ph. D.,

Columbia College in the City of New York.

It is not my intention to discuss here the interesting legend which is connected
with the early history of Edessa as a christian city. That has lately been done
with much learning and care. 1 I wish only to call attention to the following
Arabic version which, I believe, has not been known heretofore — and to point out
with what lines in the development of the legend it runs parallel.

Tixeront has collected (toe. cit. p. 28) the titles of four Arabic MSS. of the
Abgar legend. The Vatican text he has himself published at the end of the
volume. With this our MS. has many points in common : but it is easy to see
that it is greatly amplified. The one published by Ludovieus de Dieu 2 is not
accessible to me at present.

A glance is enough to show us that the chief interest of the writer lies in the
legend regarding the image of Jesus, rather than in that of the letters between
him and Abgar. It belongs, therefore, to the Byzantine line of development. It
is not necessary to adduce proof for this statement. We can go one step further,
and can fix upon the Greek MS. which evidently lies back of our Arabic text.

There is a MS. in the Imperial Library at Vienna (cod. theol. graec. 315)
which has been described by Lambecius, and of which Lipsius has given some
extracts 3 The scope of both texts is the same : the letters of Abgar and Jesus ;
the story of the picture put on the handkerchief ; the second image made on a
brick at Heliopolis; the healing of the lame man ; the healing of Abgar himself ;
the mission of Thaddaeus and the baptism of Abgar. Some of the character-
istic additions in cod. 315 to the account in Eusebius are found again here :
e. g., xal yuvauxa iv puau a7juato; &</>afi£%>yii aoo idaco = &i\li sL-*!j
. oOj^j *iXji\j o^w.«J l+J |»t\Jt . So also the addition xal J] noXa aou
rjTtz xahtrat ideaaa = U& Jl XA->tX«-Uj ; 4 although some of the additions in
cod. 315 are wanting in the Arabic.

For the sake of comparison I have reprinted the four continuous extracts of
cod. 315 as published by Lipsius.

i Tixeront, Leg origincs de VEglige d'Edesse, etc. Paris, 1888. Dashian, Zur Abgar-Sage.
WZKM. IV., pp. 17 sqq.

2 Tixeront, loc. cit. p. 28. Lipsius, Die Edessenische Abgar-Sage, p. 20. Nestle, De Santa Cruce,
p. S3.

s Loc. cit. pp. 16, 21, 56, 59, 62.

i Lipsius, p. 16.

An Arabic Version of the Abgar-Legend. 269

aurtj ds pou iittaroXyj ottou dv TcpoftXrjOfj sirs iv dixjj rj iv dtxaarrjpicp,
sirs iv bdcp sets iv daXdaajj, sirs iv fir/yediaev [1. ptyouatv] sirs iv Tiupsaaou-
aev fj cppexecoatv fj ixfipd^ouacv fj xar6.bsap.ov t>y_tootv [1. s%ouatv] fj bjrep-
ftpaatv, ?j cpappaxsudstatv r) baa rouroez opoea, dtaXudijaovrat. iarco ds
6 cpop&v aurrjv dvdpcozoz dTtsfopsvoz dxb navrbz novtjpou Kp6.yp.aroz, xal
Xsysrw auryj pkv siz eaatv slvai [sarae ?] xal yapav ftsfiacav. dtbrt b Xbyoz
ypaizrbz yeypaxrat rjj idia pou %stpl psra ttjz ofpayidoz rrjZ ip^Z- airtvsz
siaiv ivTSTUxrwpevai [sic] rij ijuaroXfi raurrj ktrrd a<ppayiatv. T. W. X. E.
Y. P. A. ir/aouz %ptarbz ulbz ftsou xal ulbz paplaz <p u XW <p£p<»v iv duo
<puasacv yvcopt^bpsuoz, dsbz xai dvdpamoz. riov ds afpayidcov j Xuatz 'T\v
of>T7]. b pkv T drjXo7, on sxcov indyrjv iv araupep. rods ¥, on (ptXbz dv&pwxoz
oux st pi, dXXd dvOpionoz xard dfojO. rb dk X, 5rt dvansnaupat otto rmv yspou-
ficp. rb E, iyth dsbz npihroz iyto xal psrd raura, xal ttXyjv ipou oux iart
dsbz srspoz. rb T, b<prjXbz ftaatXsbz xal dsbz rebv dscov. rb P, puarrjz stpl
rou rmv dvOpcbncov ysvouz. rb A, de' oXou xal dtfjvsxwz xal did navrbz Z,io
xal diapivco siz t°bz aicovaz. rauraz ouv r«c atppayidaz iydpa^a iv rr t
iniaroXfi b yap6£az raz nXdxaz r«c dodsiaaz rw pcoafj.

xal ds£dpevoz b auyapoz rijv rod xoploo intaroXrjv, dxouaaz on xal oi
ioudaioe insiyovrac [cod. iirqyovrs] rou dnoxrsivae rbv xuptov. izspipaz obv
abnxa iii abrbv (?) rayudpbpov rjj rsyyrj £d>ypafOv rou Xafis'tv rb bpoicopa
rou xupiou. xal siasXdbvroz rou ra%udpbpou siz r« nponuXata IspoaoXupwv
bxr/vrvjasv b xuptoz auraj [cod. abrbv], xal dcaXs%dslz psr aurou sIttsv
aurcp. xardaxoTroz se dvdpcons. ixslvoz dh npbz aurbv sitzsv dnsaraXpkvoz
icpl bub auydpou dsdaaadat i-qaouv rbv va^mpdeov rou Xafisiv rb bpoicopa rob
[cod. ro] TipoowTZOO aurou. xal auvsrd^aro ouv b cqaouz rcapaysvsadax
aurbv im ryv ouvaywyqv rjj ds Ifiyc dKsXdwv b ir/aouz ixi rfz (fuvaycoyrjz,
ixadsFsro deddaxcov robz oftlouz. b ds rayudpbpoz siasXOwv iarr/ siz rb
TcpoxuXatov ^coypaywv rb bpoicopa rou irjoou. xal prj duvapsvou xaraXa-
ftiadat rrjv pop<p7jv rou npoacbnou aurou, xarsXafts xal b auvdpopoz aurou,
xal cbOrjaaz aurbv slrzsv stas?3e xal drtbdoz 9]v 7z$pis%siz atvdbva rou auydpou
[rou rondpyou] xal dsanbrou fjp&v hzi rijc ouvaywyrjZ. xal siasXdcbv irzl
ndvrmv snsasv siz robz nbdaz rou irjaou dxodboaz aur<p rijv atvdbva. xal
Xafitbv ud(op b xuptoz iv ratz yspalv abrou dnsvityaro rb npboionov aurou
xal irztOstz rrjv atvdbva' ixl rou npooumou aurou dvs^wypafrjOrj [cod.
avs£(oypafia$.]. xal iyivsro rb bpoicopa rou irjaou in abrijv, &ars

270 Hebraica.

daupd^etv rrdvTat; Tob$ xadypevouz per abrob. xal dobs tyjv aivdova toj
rayudpbpcp drziaretX^ev npbz rbv abyapov.

iXSbvrez ouv ol rayudpbpot ct>c puXJou kvb; rrfi ttoX.swz ideaarjs aopopevbt;
rtz eupedfj xard ttjv bbbv. xat dtydpevoz rrfi ay ion etvbbvoz ebdecos yjhro
xal TrepeeTidry xat etaeXdwv Spopdtoi; xpbi; tyjv ibiav pyrepa yaipotv xal
dya'/lubpevoz xal deadel$ bnb Tidvrcov. idabpa^ov ixl tu yeyovbrt ef'c ab-
rbv xal iXeyov. ob% obroz ryv b aupbpevoz rrjade r^c fflP a s b u\b$; xal
ebdetoz dvriveydr] toj fiaoeXsi abydpip zepl abtob. xal peraxaXsadpevoz
abrbu b jSaaeXebt; XJyee abzcp' ttco^ iddr^ ; d~expidrj ixs~tvoz xal eexsv wc
dnb pAlou Ivof TMpeysvbpqv rijc TtbX.emz airwv. xal re; -q^aro poo xal
dviopdwdrjv xal TrepteTtdryoa. b 3s abyapoq b~e/MJ3ev, ore b yptarb^ 9jv xal
rJp.<paz ebpe rbv rayudpbpov perd rob aovopbpou aurou, imwepovraz [cod.

rsc] rhv rob yptarob elxbva, xal iXSbvrwv abriov ircl to xoldztov idi-

?«ro abrobz iv yapa xal doxao'uoq, b abyapo; xaraxeipevos inl xXivrjs. Heavy
xal ds^dpevoz tt)v otvbbva etz raj yeipa^ abtob psrd niareco; I'aOrj Ttapa-
ypr t pa. psrd dk to dvaXr.(p6rjvat rbv xbptov rjpwv irjaobv yptarbv d-earuXe
dadddtov iv ids' aav} tf t nbX.ee rob tdoaoflat abydpou naaav [R. xal Ttuoav]
paXaxtav. iXdcuv obv b dadddto^ xal XaXqaaz abzai tov XMyov Tob
xoptou xal xaTrjyfjoox ixarifirj irtl rrjv TT'/jy^v tyjv X.eyopevyv xspaaad xal
iftdxTtaev abrbv xavoexi. xal ebdecoz ixadeptadq abzob to 7tddo$. xal
rjyaXXidaaTO Tip nvebpaTt bo^d^av xal ebXoycov tov debv elz too; atibvaz
r&v atebveov. dprjv.

iXdd)v obv b rayudpbpot; xal b abvdpopos abrob iv tyj bdui epetvav sga>
■zb)&co<; bvbpart lepdizoXa; etc, xepapapeiov [1. xepapuov]. Kal (pofirjQevTeQ
expixpav tyjv iexova Tob yptOTob dvd peTasb duo xepapubcwv xal ixoipr/dr/aav.
xaxa. 8e to pzoovbxTtov itpdvq otuXos nopbz ix too obpavob xal eaTfj izdvco,
oh ?jv rj eexwv tou xup'tou. Kal idwv b xaoTpotpbXaZ ttjz nbXecoQ tov otuX.ov
tod nupbz i(pd)vrjoev (pwvrjv peydXyv, xal ityXMev b Xabz rijc xbXecoz xal cdbv-
rsc vijv iv aivdbvt elxbva tou xupiou rjdeXov avTyv Xafie'iv. Kal <!r/]XafrjoavTes
ebpov St( dve^ioypafrjdr] etc ev t&v xepaptdicov xal eXaftov to xspapidtov,
ia'tyr t aav i&oavTez vobz Taypdpbpouz nopebeadat.

The MS. from which the present text is taken is now in the Library of
Columbia College. It is incomplete at the end. Its general title is as follows :
,Uis.| ^JcXi ^JJOJ . <X=J Jf sJiM u-JJiJf fj Y-"^ (J-?^' V^' I*""*-?

An Arabic Version of the Abgar-Legend. 271

. ^jyot d±*y* i*^bt^ biiASV-i' ,v-g.:il£b)_j *_^_i1j_. l-«o JcLoLftJI ^:'vyw

The contents are apochryphal in character. The MS. is quite modern, and is
written without a too strict regard for the niceties of grammar or of correct
spelling. In fact many very modern— and, at times perhaps, incorrect — forms
have found entrance. 5 But it is impossible to tell the exact date of the original
text ; and it would have been wrong to correct all things according to the Mufas-
sal. 6 I have therefore only called attention to what seemed to me to be evident
mistakes.

, aj>m>.+}\ cumjI Los ^Jt Lg.A.*'} *^j^I b&JI >iLLo &JL*> v_*x£j

. viLtflCj jLv^oJI ^l^;^l °r^ '-*■**'"" ^7*^ ^U«Jt p-oJJj JUCd!
T SL»^b s'L*!^ byjl |»jui^ |<4Ai.,;;..j i_>tjoiJ^ £^JI |*£v^.O ^jJlj 5

£ OAaJs viLi£ ^aA-L? ( > 5<^**' ^-— £ ' l -^ 5 .}"J"' 8 ^bj°. C^.*«M-' I I * |*jJI

b . jjy 1 4X0 oJjii^ U*J! ^ oJ jo &JUI ^j! <ibl .1 xJU! «ib! <ibJb
o.aS' ,j!^ jct^j-siJ ^j'b (jl aLJI <L*<y>t^ bl dJLJ !j\.s> <b>.| ^+i ^j-u*

jjaajJ^ J^JJoj ^jl |V#j Jyciw Jo O^gjJ! ^t bojt l5 Aib^ £ ^cjJf 10
bl ^ Oj& tj' ^^fc^' 9 x*-LJbJ s*aA*> Joo<>-« £ b! ^-ul *iLob»

# Joy UT (.^LJI dU> vaoI^

_ - e -JI

6 E. g-. _tw.Aj 1. e. ef. Spitta, Qrammatik des Arab. Vulgardialects von sEyypten, p. 203
(ZDMO. U, 543). Xi. 1887. Ext rait No. 22, p. 8. J jo 1. 50, for Jyj . Spitta, loc. cit., p. 18.
J>w0 for JjuO .

6 See Saehau, Chronologic Orientallscher Volker von Alblruni. Introd. p. lxx.

i MS. JL»eVLJ . » Conjectural: the MS. is blotted here. 9 So the MS. Head x e x \ * I .

272 Hebraica.

15 J Jbif liU^b . L$8 J! >JLLocUJ-^ vSot b viLt^i? I jjC» Jyb

w^ ^jJI J^xJI cy-MJ't u' 15J V^b ^^ ^*" 15^' 10 cr"' CJ X (5^
20 li ^ 15-"^ ^ SwiLJIj JUftttXJI Lci-I dJ v^ 1 ^ ^v° (5*^-?:

L§4X±2 <>.wjt ^ L#!^ Uj« tX^o juycCo xJLv Jl 5 jj*> "'^ b

JtXj J. ill jV-i'Ls-l Ju.obLf Jyo JUjbo Ojj-=» f*^ x*^*- 12 &ol&£U
25 5^11^ j»L_j (jL-w-il ^b ^^UJIj >_*.LaiJ o~«tN— 2-3 i^bjCib i ^aj\

J^l jJ^I <J g\J\, "^^LiJI ^JL* «***; ^b oJUJ!^ wLJiib
u^LJI 15 o^i^t jJI; bl ^JU dLb ^bil dy* j±\ sii! u«jJ^
_»j> ^Jt Ji ^a. Li! ^^yi. tjS j, XA-UUb «jLJI ua-L^ «y j««
(^3-s JaJI Jais. ,j.< *^s-o x*J«j bjJ-fs. ,j./o sJUv Jt 5 jje . ^jjcljjl
30^^ !uJtM>.'S ioO ;Lv&. xj jj^j y«a-b>x.3 ^.aJc^wJ!^ |»!$Li! &-»-^ ^^'y

. (j.jyof (jltXow* boJv> ^waJIj _ ,jUI sJ (j>^?5 s^w^j ^^-^y b**

10 MS. baa Ji\ .

11 Read 5«.~>.! b .

12 MS. ojOUlSo . In other places I have simply substituted is for i^> .

13 MS. _iUdl» . In other places I have simply substituted i£> for «y . Cf. Mlhall Sab-
bSg's Grammatik der Arab. Vmgangsspraehe in SyrUn und^Sgypten.p. tP.

" Cf. Dozy, Supplement, i. 715. Muhit al Muhlt, p.|A»f .
15 Read «i?bjJ^I .

An Arabic Version of the Abgar-Legend. 273

uJ! J»**~»-J J-«*_4~J jjt (c-^J XA*u\li Ls't>U&. lcX-=» jJ&L/O }J-«a-*

^_>JIj LiLxJI &_j! <£-*-=>. (JJj-Dt £ >j *n ♦ M vL-«*_i 17 x^=>-* J^mJj
Lit iLsLi' xjL»li ^yykf (jL«i^l Lgjt oot ^oL» JuisL&j xiLsuu*/

18 JLuo yA+j'l^ ^5-oUJt P^-v^ *iajf (ffXD ysx?i J-Lc ^j^o Jy*y

«jcf *+£i \ ya4j \ oU\j LjiytAJf *Jjw c^mj fjuXs\i ^ye\jJ\ P«-*o ys
x=*j J-MJ 5<^-<V. ij^ ^** *4^ xJLiuo ;yaxt yJI JuUw i_&a.i sjou*
JjjwJt -tXiLXi vdjw ,«-a-M SUaAwJI ^-j! Jk«wU i->j-J! JLiLi oJI
»»f<Xs JLUi^Jt xJ ^«i<>^ 2U*(\i' ^— L* x**aj ^-j-^^ uJI •»5So Ley**,*
aLLxj jusss^vjo^ .>Uj x^s-j Jw*^^ &Jt5o (c-Le JulwJ! ls&<Xi.li *_>jjLC«J!45

visual sjuyw Jux ^1 (J-Uajtj J^« J! ^jLs.jj yBj L»tU»-Li (L*,JU
y>L*_s 4>m+* IUjtX* (^1 ^-§&U xi'li^ y 8 13^7^" i r2^-* y°?
jjjjuyojj' ,jwO ^s^wmJI Sy^o yt*=y ^UsJLlI S>y=»li £ xJLsJlJ! «-;Lb-
w«aia.! sb t>yote 19 JtXJ J^-U' li ^j' ^5" 'y ^ u ^* ^' ij"* Liy=- 50
JjUi JLotXji viLb' \j\js» 20 y> Uii ^ju*mJI *)j— ° l5 ^-c *-fti'^
Lg.s»y&. ^ (5^^ «isyaj f^y" vy-ssoUi *j^i*JI v_*dD.*J! *iUj'
^ Ue^tXs-b (jt t^4-gi \_^vjlJ! jJ^Jj JLLstXjt »-^Lil ^UJt ***fi»

16 MS. 2O0«„C«.

11 MS. x n 7"^n a mistake, if we ought not to read SL&2.... .
is MS. here and in other places JLavjO . Cf . Spitta loe, cit. p. 9.

19 I. e. J yj .

20 1, e. jA .

CO

274 Hbbbaica.

^j^-jo SJe>t^-? o— S\ — f tXS b^Li iJJA****" (J-^? j^*" *^ — "i — "

55L0LDI SJoyoji' £ |vJ6Lo^^ Sp^aJt 8<\**yi y& tXib ^tXjyoydl
JjtiLo jjbob t>lj Jyuo xttXJix l# Jl XajJuo & ^O ^gXu*. Jy*J\ ^Lb
Xjo\ JOaJ <^y?-; U^b" l 5^» ^^ <Sr^ vsaSjXLj Sj^aJI StUJ l^J
jjjj-jLa. t^bsj 'j*^* 3 p-^xJIj «jo! £J'v*V U-b Lcjowc JL0J.4J.J
dLLJU >oi> J^ui JouuJI &Lo^l 21 ,jj! Ijj"> U od*J |V^a*J y^y**.)
Joyo ^IjJLo ^jo (5 ajI iLsb' xjb>b oJJ ou5" xJ Jls'j sJJaJ SwOj=»L»
<X=>Lj t>l^ (j*LaJI jj-x xi'J-o v_JJot (j*Jb> blj iiotXjl ,jjo tX^lj
dUUI jCxib bjsl^ o*J> x_*_s^_i-J_i ^^AAv^jJb (J^JaJ! £ I^U
Jes. ? i ivicbJLj Jtwjb . «jw ^ju*mJI Sjyo^ »-?b> xJbyo (j! *^?^l

65 Jo^LJI ^1 ^JLa^ Ub ^«mJ! cXjuJI s^o ^^°b> Jtiixjj «* Jj^J!

bjou*- (j! 33 jbl*j^ ileLJb ^o ooj-Lb x_s^— «j ^f^ JtJL« StXxi
(jj-l f^j (J-^-l Ufc>rk *^r*^ k"^U-*I xifc" ^^-x! alLki w_sa_j!iM

70 lo^l *-wO XXO Jjci 8 «U4*^ L$J StX+Jli Lv^ Lm*0 b ^Jtft ^1 ^cXs\j|^

^a*o yo^ (j^tXfti! -^ tM-g^ ^*S 5 ^' 1/"^' C- 5 /^ cH-%
dUUJI yol ^ LJI b^l *pLo t A*i ^y»1dJI y*^ ^1 A^JI «*JI

. ^jjyo! *3 . c ^jyot xJCLo (j ^bi' a-UI iu bu » jOa«Jj y^>^ i\ax*JI

si MS. ^jotjJB .

22 Jbbj I

23 Bead, ^jo tX^I (jw«'<Xi* .

24 MS. ^»4-l •

25 Sie!

An Ababic Version of the Abgar-Legend. 275

(•V (JUj auit La^sUj |vC ^>*^?. j*t*|j ^^?^ LaJJsI Jyb Li"

We shall write the letter of the King of Edessa, Abgar, which he sent to our
master Jesus, the Messiah.

I have heard of thy wonderful deeds and that thou dost heal the sick without
enchantment and without medicine ; and that thou, by means of one word, hast
given sight to the blind and to the lame recovery, to the dumb speech, to the
deaf hearing, to the sick healing. Thou casteth out unclean spirits by thy word,
and those whom pain and punishment injure thou healest. Thou raisest the
dead ; and the woman flowing with blood, when she touched thy hands became
well. And now, O Master, I have heard that thou thinkest in thy heart that
thou art God or the Son of God. Thou hast come down from heaven and hast
done all this, O Master ! On this account I beg and request of thee that thou
come to me. Although I am not worthy, do thou show mercy to me and come so
that thou mayest heal me from this pain which is in me. I have also heard that
the Jews hate thee and wish to do thee harm. It is not hidden from thee that I
am in a city, small and beautiful. I wish that it be for me and for thee. And
to thee be peace — as thou wilst.

Answer to the letter of King Abgar which came from our master Jesus, the
Messiah.

He says as follows : Blessed art thou, O Abgar and thy city Edessa. Blessed
art thou, in that thou didst believe in me, not having seen me. From the present
time I have given thee health and healing. Now regarding that about which
thou hast written to me that I should come to thee, first it is necessary that I
should complete the work for the sake of which I have come down. And [when]
I shall have ascended unto Him that sent me, I shall send to thee one of my dis-
ciples that he may heal thy disease and give to thee eternal life. Peace be to
thee and to those who are in thy city, which no man will be able to take to the
end of the world. Amen.

O brother ! This letter was written by the hand of our master and our God,
Jesus, the Messiah, and he sealed it with seven seals in Grecian characters by
means of a eunuch. 27

The first seal showed " I, of my own free will, went to the cross." The
second, "that I am a perfect 28 man and God in very truth." The third, "that
I have ascended to the cherubim." The fourth "that [I] am God, the first,

26 MS. LajSo .

2' I do not find this form in the dictionaries: but it must be some derivative of h'asa(y) "he
drew forth, or castrated his testicles " (Lane S. V.).
28 Or real.

276 Hebeaica.

and that there is no other God beside me." The fifth, "that 1 am an exalted
King and God of Gods." The sixth, "I am the Saviour." The seventh,
"altogether, at all times I live, existing forever." Whoever bears this letter
upon his head, it will save him from the danger of the road; and he who
meets wise men and rulers, it will spare him; he who has a strong fever, it
will heal him ; and those who have evil spirits or any other form of enchantment,
it will free them. He who is on the road, 29 or on a river, or in a battle or in any-
thing that happens to a man, it will release him [from his difficulty]. And if

anyone be seated in and carry it, he will be free from all unpleasant

labor. It will be medicine for his spirit and his body : and joy and gladness will
be to him forever and ever. Amen.

Now when Abgar had received the letter of the master, his desire and his
wish grew strong ; and at once he sent a very skillful sculptor. He directed him
to go to procure a likeness of the master and of his face. Then the sculptor went
on his way until he reached the master, praised be he ! Then he spake to him
saying : Verily thou art a sculptor. 30 Then he answered him, saying, I am sent by
Abgar to see Jesus, the Nazarene, to see the likeness of his face and to picture it.
The master commanded him to take his place with the multitude. Then he told
him of himself that he was Jesus the Nazarene. Then Jesus sat down to teach the
people and the sculptor wished to fulfil the behest of his superior. He placed him-
self opposite the master in order to paint the likeness of his face. But he was not
able to picture the likeness of the face of the master. Then said the master to the
messenger, where is the handkerchief (?) 3 i which thou hast. Then the messenger
came quickly to the master and threw himself at his feet and gave him the hand-
kerchief before all the people. Then the master took it in his hands, washed his
face with the water and wiped it with the handkerchief so that the sculptor who
had been sent and all the people wondered. Then he gave it to the messenger
who seized it joyfully and went to his superior, Abgar. This one was journeying
upon the road with his escort. They had come to the city MBSJ. 32 They
remained over night outside the city in the shop of a potter: and placed the
image of the Messiah between two bricks out of fear of robbers. Then they slept.
Now during the night there came down a dark pillar of fire upon the image of the
Messiah. And when the guard of that city passed by and saw this great wonder,
they were amazed and cried out with a loud cry until a multitude of people came

29 The lexica do not give this derivation of s>L». ; but it must correspond to the Greek
ev bd&.

so In the Greek text, we read naraa&o-Ko^ cl av6puire.

31 Ms. JLi_A_a_*w_JI which is undoubtedly a mistake. Ibn el Athir, VIII., p. 303, 21 has
t}*J(\Xje of. also Tixeront, loc. laud. p. 199.

32 Read ^jJ^jO Mabug. Greek has kpdiroXif.

An Akabic VersionJof the Abgar-Legend. 277

to the outskirts of the city. They saw the wonder and desired to take it (i. e. the
picture) from the messenger. They searched between the two bricks, and saw
that it was fixed fast to one of them. Then [the messenger] caught hold of one
of the bricks, and gave them the second one. Then the messenger journeyed
until he had come to within one mile of the city of Edessa. Here he lighted upon
a man deprived of the use of his limbs who touched the picture with his hand.
At that very moment he became completely well and went on his way standing up-
right. He came quickly to the city to his mother and when the other people saw
him they wondered, and came saying to each other : what has come over the wid-
ow's son who had not the use of his legs ? His story reached the King who had
him brought to him. Then he said to him, how hast thou become healed ? He
answered him saying, behold I was seated about a mile distant from the city. I
was seated looking for alms from men when something passed secretly up the
road and touched me and at once I arose upright. And King Abgar understood
at once that this messenger had come back to him with the picture of the Mes-
siah. Then he sent to meet them and he found the messenger with his escort,
bearing the image of the master, the Messiah. Now when they had come to the
palace, the King took this image in his hands, he having lain upon his couch for
a little over six years. At once, at that moment, he was healed and became well.

Now, our master, Jesus the Messiah, after his ascent to heaven sent Thad-
daeus [one of] his disciples to Abgar and he healed him from all his sickness. He
taught him the way of life and the word of truth. And he went down to a well
of water which was called i^AS , 33 and he baptized him in it and all the people
of his household in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one
God. And he gloried in the Holy Spirit and praised God who is to be glorified
unto all generations.

Now this is what has reached us about the glorious King Abgar and the
doings(V) of God, praised and exalted be, in his kingdom. Amen! Amen! As is
said, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.»* May God
the exalted one free us from every misfortune as he freed this exalted King I
Amen ! Amen !

33 In Greek aepaaaa.

34 Matthew 7:7.